This Red Cabbage Salad with Apples and Walnuts is super simple, fresh, and delicious. You'll love the nutty flavor of the walnut paired with sweet apples and the tangy dressing. Upgrade it even more with goat cheese and bacon crumbles if you want!
Jump to:
Why You'll ❤️ Red Cabbage Slaw
"This is re-creation of a salad I ate in Copenhagen on a trip a few years back. It's like a Scandinavian-style red cabbage slaw but with a little tang from the mustard and vinegar balanced with the nuttiness of the walnuts and sweetness of the apple. Delish."
If you want more red cabbage recipes be sure to make Roasted Red Cabbage Recipe, pickled red cabbage, and Red Cabbage Salad with Apples and Walnuts. And finally, a must-make soup: Apple, Bratwurst, and Red Cabbage Soup! 🙂
Fresh and Flavorful
This salad has wonderful flavors that complement one another for a perfectly balanced bite! The dressing is tangy; the apples are sweet, and the walnuts are toasted and crunchy - it's also beautiful to look at too!
Super Simple
This recipe has three easy steps! Toast your walnuts, make your dressing and then toss all ingredients together. That's it! Super simple red cabbage slaw, delicious and sure to impress.
Healthy
This salad is low-carb, gluten-free, vegetarian, vegan, and Whole30. This salad is versatile and can be served in many ways! Scroll to the How-to-Serve section for additional ideas.
🥘 What You'll Need
Here are the ingredients you will need to make red cabbage salad:
- Dijon Mustard
- Honey
- Apple Cider Vinegar - apple cider vinegar is preferred in this salad as it pairs well with the fresh apple. A white wine vinegar would also work well.
- Walnut Oil - walnut oil has the most delicious flavor and can be found at most grocery stores.
- Kosher Salt
- Ground Black Pepper
- Walnuts - use raw unsalted walnuts.
- Red Cabbage - using red cabbage is so colorful. It is also pretty to use half red cabbage and green cabbage too.
- Braeburn Apples - you can use a different kind of sweet apple if you choose.
For exact ingredient quantities, please see the recipe card below!
How To Make It
Here are the step-by-step instructions for making this red cabbage salad:
Toast Walnuts
In a small skillet over medium-high heat, toast the walnuts, stirring frequently. Remove the walnuts from the pan and cool on a cutting board. Once cooled, chop the walnuts.
Make The Dressing
Mix all the salad ingredients in a small bowl and whisk together.
Toss The Salad
In a large salad bowl, add your cabbage, apples, and toasted walnuts. Toss with the dressing and then serve immediately.
How To Serve It
Here are a few ways to serve red cabbage salad:
Scandinavian-inspired meal idea! Serve this cabbage salad alongside Frikadeller (Danish Meatballs), and canned (drained) baby potatoes browned in butter with a little brown sugar.
Top your salad with some smoked bacon crumbles, crumbled feta, goat cheese crumbles, or blue cheese!
Garnish with sliced green onion or thinly sliced red onion.
This would be delicious served alongside this Fall Apart Eye of Round Roast, Slow Cooker Turkey Breast, or Cordon Bleu Stuffed Pork Loin.
Variations
Here are a few ways you can vary or make substitutions to this recipe:
- Use glazed sweetened walnuts if preferred.
- Replace walnuts for pecans if you prefer! Still toast them ahead of time to help bring out the sweetness of the pecans.
- Use green cabbage and shredded carrot if desired.
- The dressing is very versatile in what ingredients you can use! Use your favorite mustard, type of oil, and amount of seasoning.
- Use brown sugar or a brown sugar substitute if you prefer not to use honey. Use 1 tablespoon of brown sugar in place of the honey and adjust the sweetness to your liking. Mix in the dressing until dissolved.
Top Tips
- Time-saving tip: Mix the salad dressing, toast the walnuts, shred the cabbage ahead of time.
- Be sure you cut your apples right before serving the salad. The apples will start to brown once cut, so it's best if they are served immediately.
- This salad is best served immediately. Feel free to halve the recipe if you need to, or only assemble half.
More Salad Recipes
If you are looking for more delicious salad recipes, be sure to check these out:
- Italian Roasted Cabbage Slices
- Air Fryer Cabbage
- Kale and Brussel Sprout Salad with Pomegranate and Pecans
- Strawberry Goat Cheese Salad
- Layered Salad (Layered Overnight Salad)
- Best Greek Salad Recipe
- Blue Cheese Wedge Salad Recipe
- Cold Broccoli Salad
- Grilled Peach Salad with Burrata
- Roasted Pumpkin Salad
- Roasted Beet Salad with Feta and Citrus Vinaigrette
Recipe
Red Cabbage Salad with Apples and Walnuts
Ingredients
Salad Dressing
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons walnut oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
Salad
- ½ cup walnuts
- 12 ounces red cabbage (shredded)
- 2 medium braeburn apples (cored and cut into thin wedges)
Instructions
- In a small skillet over medium-high heat, toast the walnuts, stirring frequently. Remove from pan and chop. Remove from pan and cool.
- Mix all salad ingredients in a small bowl and whisk together.
- In a large salad bowl add cabbage, apples, and toasted walnuts. Toss with salad dressing and serve.
Notes
- Don't miss all of our helpful hints, substitution ideas, cooking tips, and other delicious recipes that can be found in our post. Check it out!
- VARIATIONS: Add cooked and crumbled smoked bacon and blue cheese or goat cheese crumbles. Top with sliced green onions.
- TOP TIPS: Adjust any seasoning or ingredient to taste. For quick assembly shred cabbage, toast walnuts, and make the dressing in advance. Wait to cut apples right before serving or they will turn brown.
- SERVING SUGGESTIONS: Serve immediately. This salad can easily be halved if you won't be eating it all in one meal.
Nutrition
© 2023 Seeking Good Eats™
Comments
No Comments